Comfortable

How comfortable are we with the silence?
When it sticks into our conscious like the cut of a blade

Piercing our already noisy day with the shrill of quiet
Does it hurt?  Does it sting?  Do we wonder

What do I do?
Now what do I say?

I must pick up something quick, fast
This cannot be right.

How comfortable are we?

If the silence is where God truly dwells
I fear we are too comfortable

To let it last for long.

Two

For Abbey - February 19, 2016, on her second birthday.

"Two"

I held out my hand and yours clutched around my finger.
We stepped out onto the empty street
Each step a careful new beginning;
Unchartered territory.

Looking down we watched our shadows lead us,
not knowing or caring where they took us or how long it would take.

The sun was bright and the wind quick,
A breezy reminder that winter still lingered somewhere in the clouds.
We stretched out our arms wide
You were so little you almost sailed away;
And clenched my finger tight.
I would have sailed with you.

Up in the sky a bird was gliding from barren tree to barren tree.
Her wings too big and the trees too bare, she could not hide from us.
And you squealed with joy.

We crossed the yard and waved to cows munching dry grass.
You attempted their language; they replied with blank stares.
Still, you smiled.

A big and simple day.
Winter's reprieve, if only for a moment,
Let a girl explore her world through brand new eyes,
And let her mommy do the same.

Fingernails

I wonder how many days

God had dirt and ash and mud

under her fingernails

After the work of that first creation.

Where the soil of the ground sprang forth

New life

And being.

I wonder if God

picked at the tiny residue

from underneath those rugged nails,

Or if she scrubbed at them under a brand new

And shiny stream of water.

Or.....

If she let the dirt and ash and mud

be,

as a reminder of her great work

and great love

for her creation.

Grace is Dust

If you have ever stood in the middle of a room in your house and been overwhelmed by the mess of it, you may relate to these scattered thoughts of mine.  Yesterday I was reading a short devotional on my phone and the commentator compared God's grace to dust.  Yes, dust.  The tiny particles floating in the air all the time - but that we can only see in the sun's light.  My pet peeve!  I abhor dust.  I get so annoyed by what seems like mounds and mounds of never-ending dust in our house.  And dusting is just a joke we play on ourselves.  We think we're getting rid of it, we think we're cleaning, but in reality we're just moving the dust from one place to the next! It's the same with vacuuming.  Sure the vacuum picks up some stuff, but other dirt flakes or dog hair resting ever so gently under the dining room table or huddled in the corner are only getting blown to another location in the house - it's a tease!

I am embarrassed to say - dust is a bane of my existence.  So how on earth could this commentator compare God's beautiful grace to the nuisance of dust?!

Because...like it or not...dust is every where.  All the time.  Every day.  Right in front of our faces.

And....like it or not...grace is every where.  All the time.  Every day.  Right in front of our faces.

Most of the time we have no clue that dust is accompanying us at our dinner table.  But when the sun shines, when it beams through our front window on a clear, cold winter's day, we see it...tiny particles floating in the air, seemingly carefree and happy to be annoying the crap out of us.

And...if we're honest, most of the time we have no clue that God's grace is accompanying us at our dinner table - or wherever we might be.  Yet when the sun shines upon some aspect of our lives - whether literally through our front window or metaphorically in an act of forgiveness or compassion or friendship or love - we see it....as though it is a tiny dust particle floating in the air, seemingly carefree and happy - and, sometimes even, annoying the crap out of us.

With dust and grace, we have two options.  We can do what I typically do:  say a few choice words while going after the Pledge and a rag, cursing because I just did this yesterday.  While at the same time yelling at the dogs to stop scratching because it only makes the problem worse.  And by that point my entire mood has shifted.  I'm frustrated and edgy and completely self-absorbed by the absolute mess of my house and I know all too well I'll have to do this again tomorrow.

Or - the other option - is to accept dust and God's grace as a part of life.  It doesn't mean we have to like it all the time, either.  We can try to remind ourselves that even the cleanest houses have dust particles floating in the air.  And we can try to remind ourselves that even the people we disagree with most or dislike most are also recipients & bearers of God's amazing grace...God's grace cannot be isolated or controlled or kept neat and tidy for a select few even though we wish it were that way sometimes.  This realization can increase our capacity for compassion, understanding, and kindness.  (Because if you think about it, that's the hardest part of being human.  We know we don't have to love everyone, but we really have to be kind to everyone.  Our world shows us that kindness & understanding can be a matter of life or death).  

If we can accept both dust and grace as integral parts of life, then perhaps we will calm down for a moment and realize that we spend too much energy trying to keep everything so neat and tidy and mess-free so that by the time we've finally given up, we are too exhausted to do anything else.  Especially anything that really matters.

So, if God's grace is like dust, I will try to let it be.  Let the sun show me that those tiny flakes of grace are there, floating and present all the time.  There for me.  There for you.  There for (insert name).

I'll take in a deep breath, which is likely accompanied by dust, exhale and realize - hey, I'm still alive and okay.  It really is okay!

I'll say a prayer of thanksgiving (rather than a curse) for the beauty of the sun shining over a frosted winter yard and beaming into my front window.  I'll hug my dog only to make her have to scratch some more.  I'll watch the dust recirculate through the air and, with all my strength, I will push away the urge to grab the can of Pledge.  I'll breathe and realize it's still okay.  There is important work to be done in this world, and with God's grace, I have a part in it.

The dust will be here tomorrow.  And all of us will still be okay.  How do we know that?

Because the beautiful, perfect and often messy grace of God will be floating around us too.  And, hopefully, we'll breathe it in.

A Prayer for Anyone, Anytime, Any Day

God,
Maker of Heaven & Earth,
Creator of my soul
Sculptor of my body.
Be with me now.
I am willing to listen,
But I may not be ready to respond.

(silence)

Forgive me.
Grant me peace.
Teach me love.
Show me compassion.
In mercy and in courage,
Bring me back to prayer again.

Amen.

At Home Worship: Sunday January 24, 2016

First Christian Church, Glasgow KY
Worship @ Home
Sunday January 24, 2016

Gathering Words
Take some time to pass the peace of Christ with those gathered near you.  If you are worshiping in solitude, ask for Christ's peace to enter your heart in this time of worship, prayer, and reflection.
One:  May the peace of Christ be with you.
All:  And also with you.

Opening Hymn:  Come Thou Font of Every Blessing

Call to Worship

One:  The Spirit of God is upon us.

All:  We are called to be God's people.

One:  The Spirit of God is upon us.

All:  We are called to be the Body of Christ.

One:  Come, let us worship God who binds us together in love and service.  (ministrymatters.com)

Opening Prayer

God of comfort and hope, we praise you for the good things that you have given us.  We thank you for warm homes and beds in winter storms.  We thank you for food to keep us nourished and healthy. We thank you for friends, family, and church community to support, comfort, and gift us with life and love.  We pray for all who are cold and have no shelter, especially in snow and ice.  Help us to always find ways to reach out to people and animals in need.  Show us how to be your hope in a world that is broken.  Hold fast to all who are struggling in these frigid days and hold fast to the places in our hearts that keep you near to us.  We continue to pray the prayer that Jesus taught:

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

Gloria Patri 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.  World without end.  Amen.  Amen.

Children's Moment (attached is an activity sheet that can be printed out for one-time, home use.)

New Testament Reading - you may read from your Bible or click the scripture below.

Luke 4:14-21  

Personal Reflections & Group Sharing

1) What is this story about?  Re-tell it in my own words.

2) What in this passage sticks out to me - whether good or bad?  Why?

3)  What do I find challenging/exciting about the mission of Jesus?

4)  How is God speaking to me in this passage?

Things to Consider:  Jesus was Nazareth's hometown boy.  Here we find him coming back home to share with the people his mission from God.  If we continue reading, we will find that the people get upset with him and try to throw him off a cliff!  Yikes!  Jesus says that no prophets are accepted in the prophet's hometown  (Lk 4:24).

Think about a "homecoming" moment in your life?  Was there ever a point in your life when you left what was familiar for a period of time and then came back?  What was that like?  Were you welcomed back into the community with open arms?  Was there a sense of rejection?  Did people have a difficult time accepting you for the person you became?  Did you experience the grace & embrace of old friends and family?  If you have never had an experience like this - think about someone who has or an event in the world that deals with coming back home, rejection, or acceptance of others.  Where do you find God's embrace in situations like these?  Or have you ever felt rejected by someone whom you tried to share God's love with?  What did that feel like?  How did you respond?

How does our church - FCC Glasgow - respond to this passage?  How does FCC Glasgow respond to Jesus' mission in ministry?  How is God's Kingdom reality (as detailed in this passage) different from our reality?  What is your role and what is our church's role in bringing God's reality to our community & world?

Praying for One Another

Call to Prayer:  Be Still and Know

FCC Prayer Concerns:

Buddy A.

Soni G.

Sharon M.

Jennifer F.

Pearl B.

Larry F.

Ronnie K.

FCC Ongoing Prayers:

Ed & Bobbe S.

Julie C.

Marjorie T.

Gunnar E.

Lola P.

Dennis B.

Tina C. & Family

Sympathy & Prayers to the family of Joe T. Jr. (Bruce T.'s uncle)

Prayers of thanks & safety to all city officials, first responders, and clean-up workers helping to keep our city & county safe during this storm.

Take time to lift your prayers to God silently, or share joys & concerns and pray aloud with those gathered with you. 

A Time of Communion & Offering

Take bread and juice (of any version you have available in your home) and spend a moment reflecting on the gift of the bread & cup for you.  Also reflect upon the ways you can share your gifts to God and with the ministries of FCC. 

Say aloud the Words of Institution, or click the video to hear them.

 

Offer silent Prayers of Thanksgiving for the communion meal or pray aloud with those gathered near you.

Eat the Bread and drink from the Cup.

Serve one another.

Closing Hymn:  I Love to Tell the Story

Benediction  

Go in Peace to share and to live the love of God in this world.  Amen.

FCC Week at a Glance:

1.  All Church activities for Sunday Jan 24 have been cancelled due to winter weather.  Everyone stay warm, safe, enjoy time with family & friends,  and check in on your neighbors and church family!

2.  Tuesday Jan 26:  Worship Committee Meeting 10:30 am in Fellowship Hall.  Bible Study @ Noon.  Elders Meeting @ 6:30 pm.

3.  Wednesday Jan 27:  Disciples Kid's Club (grades 1-3) 3-4 pm.  Youth Group @ 6 pm.  Choir Practice @ 7 pm.

4.  Youth Ski Thing is this weekend Jan 29-30.  Please turn in forms & money to Anne Bruce no later than Monday Jan 25.

5.  Sunday January 30:  FIFTH SUNDAY.  Notice the change in schedule.

Jeff Crane will be preaching!!

• 9 am Sunday School
• 10 am One Worship Service (including Children's Worship & Wonder)
• 11 am Lunch & Projects (TBA).  Contact Martha Martin if you wish to contribute to the lunch!

Other Announcements:

• Youth who are interested in Discipleship Class will meet with Anne Bruce on Sun Jan 30 at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  Parents please come to this informational meeting.

• Cookies for College Kids:  Please bring cookies to Fellowship Hall on Sunday Feb 7.  The Membership Committee will package cookies to be mailed on Monday Feb 8.  Please bring cookies in disposable containers!

• The Season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 10th.  To recognize this special season, we will have a worship service at 5:30 pm to receive the ashes; followed by Potluck dinner at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Therefore Potluck has been moved from Wed February 3 to Wed February 10!!!  Potluck hosts are the flocks of Mike Chesnut & Carol Pike.  Please take note of this change and we hope to see you on Feb 10 for a time of worship, fellowship, and a shared meal.

Advent gift

I read my devotion this morning, not at my usual spot at the table, but on the couch in the glow of the Christmas tree.  (Partly because that was where I left my book last night.)  It has been especially hard this morning to turn off my brain, with the thoughts, joys, and frustrations of this incredibly busy week and month.  Like most people, especially this time of year, it is very difficult for me to shut my mind off the ever-flowing stream of life events and to-do's that seem to pour over and flood any attempt to quiet myself in prayer.

Yet, for some reason that I cannot explain, the words of the hymn "Spirit of the Living God" suddenly appeared randomly and unexpectedly this morning into that stream of busy and worried thought.  Who knows the last time I heard or sung that song in church.  And it's certainly not a Christmas hymn!  I'll take it though, not as an act of my scattered brain, but rather as a small Advent gift from the mystery of God.  Even when I try to create space for quiet and prayer, life creeps in and takes over.  And I let it.  Nine times out of ten.

But perhaps this morning I was freely given the tune and words to a favorite hymn as a gentle (or adamant?) reminder to pause...turn inward....and let the Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.

If only for a minute.

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. 
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.